Tuesday, December 3, 2013

The difference between journalism and PR

This year I started an internship at the Department of
Pediatrics at McMaster University.I was
hired for skills I hadn’t learned yet, having only been in the PR program at
Mohawk for about a month, and for skills I’d learned in a field that, while
also in the range of communications, was completely different. I wasn’t
entirely sure what I was getting myself in to.

I learned while studying journalism and at my internship
with a local news website, that PR is the “dark side”. We were taught that
people who work in PR are always trying to ‘spin’ a story a certain way. I’m
learning how wrong that is.

At Mac, I’m working on a video project chronicling the
history of the department, from its foundation all the way up to its current
teaching methods. I’m using my
journalism skills for something positive. I’m interviewing subjects,
researching, filming, taking photos, contributing to the latest annual report,
and helping to update the department websites.

One of the photos I took that might be used in the annual report.

I think the best part is all of the positive, encouraging
people I get to meet each time I go to work. Everyone I talk to is very happy
to help, and interested in seeing the final project when it is completed.My work will be used in a variety of
different ways in order to help the university and the department gain funding
and attract new researchers and students. I love that I get to help tell a
positive story about an amazing institution and the wonderful people who work
there.

While I’m grateful for all of the skills I learned while
studying journalism, they did help me get this job, I’m glad I made the choice
to switch to public relations.